The Department of Premier and Cabinet facilitated community consultation for the potential closure of the Goulburn to Crookwell rail corridor in February. The broad plan is to establish a 56km rail trail following the old Goulburn to Crookwell railway corridor, in a project similar to other rail trails in Victoria and NSW.

The top five priority areas for people, regardless of sentiment, coming out of the feedback were: 

Other themes that also drew responses from attendees (below these top five) were: economic concerns of land holders, farm amenity impacts, economic viability, the council’s ability to deliver/manage it, environmental heritage, tourism benefits, other opportunities/uses, built heritage and health concerns. 

Some 178 people attended the consultation session. About 46 attendees (26 per cent) known to own land directly adjacent to the proposed rail trail attended.

“Of the questions raised by a large proportion (87pc) were focussed on specific aspects of the rail trail project,” the report by Muller Enterprise Consulting Services said. A detailed response to such questions was beyond the scope of the session, it was noted. 

“Several key subjects emerged from the consultation that could, with further detailed analysis and consultation, assist the community to understand the potential risks and benefits of the rail trail proposal.”

These included:

“It is clear from subjects raised by people at the session and the collated material...that while the local community broadly appears to support the idea of a rail trail, there are strongly felt views against the concept of rail trails being established along the rail corridor by those people who live and work on properties adjacent,” the report said. 

“Among the broad support for the rail trail by the members of community in attendance, a wide range of supporters did write or voice concerns that adjacent land-holders should be treated fairly and their concerns should be strongly considered and where practicable addressed.”